Michigan Looks to Rebound Against Struggling Northwestern EVANSTON, Ill. (Interstat) — The Michigan women’s basketball team aims to bounce back from a rare loss when it visits Northwestern in a Big Ten Conference matchup Thursday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wolverines (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) saw a seven-game win streak snapped with a 69-66 home loss to UCLA last Sunday. Despite the setback, Michigan remains among the conference’s elite, powered by a dynamic offense averaging over 82 points per game during its recent run. All eyes will be on Michigan sophomore guard Olivia Olson, who has been on a scoring tear. Over her last eight games, Olson is averaging 21.0 points, including a 27-point outburst in a rout of Indiana and a 20-point performance in the loss to UCLA. Her versatility as a scorer and facilitator will be central to Michigan’s attack. Northwestern (8-15, 3-10) enters mired in a five-game losing streak, most recently an 83-65 defeat to Southern California on Feb. 5. The Wildcats have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 83.2 points during their skid. The Wildcats’ primary threat is senior guard Grace Sullivan, who has shouldered a heavy scoring load. Sullivan poured in a career-high 35 points at Indiana on Feb. 1 and is averaging 22.3 points over her last six contests. Her matchup with Olson will be a key duel on the perimeter. Historically, Michigan has dominated the series, winning the last nine meetings. In their first matchup this season on Jan. 11 in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines cruised to an 86-60 victory. For Northwestern, pulling an upset would require a significant defensive improvement and efficient scoring beyond Sullivan. For Michigan, re-establishing its defensive intensity after the UCLA loss is paramount as it seeks to stay in the hunt for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST. Michigan’s next game is at home against Michigan State on Sunday. Northwestern travels to Penn State on Sunday.